Slava Medvedenko: Back in 2004, I felt it was time to leave the Lakers.

He signed his last two-year contract with the "Los Angeles Lakers" for 6 million dollars. Stanislav Medvedenko played six seasons for one of the strongest basketball clubs in the world. During this time, the Ukrainian formed friendships with NBA stars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant and donned an NBA championship ring twice. Among the most passionate spectators at his team's home games were Sylvester Stallone and Jack Nicholson.

It seemed that a bright future lay ahead for Slava, as his family had called him since childhood, and he was destined to delight California fans with his dazzling play for a long time. However, due to a series of injuries, in 2006, the "Lakers" were forced to terminate the contract with the Ukrainian. After recovering, Medvedenko played a bit longer with the "Atlanta Hawks," but health issues led him to end his playing career at the peak of his abilities – at just 28 years old. Now Slava lives permanently in Kyiv. In an open conversation with Champion the most decorated Ukrainian shared insights into the behind-the-scenes of the NBA, filming with Carmen Electra, and his daily life in the City of Angels.

– Slava, let's recall the time when you first arrived in Los Angeles. In 2000, "Lakers" already showcased the talents of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. What were your clashes with Kobe like?

Kobe tried to treat me dismissively. I never thought about tolerating that. As a result, we often had disagreements on that basis. But it never escalated to fights. Later, as it often happens, we even became friends.

– If you analyze your NBA career – what do you regret?

– The key mistake in my sports career was this – I should have left the "Lakers" back in 2004. I faced a choice – either try to succeed in the best team in the world or move to another club, playing alongside lower-level players. I chose the first option. Although "Dallas" showed crazy interest in me – they offered a four-year contract worth 4 million per season. I would probably have played regularly there. My manager strongly recommended changing teams. But I wanted to prove that I could play in the best team in the world at that time. So, I continued to cling to the "Lakers."

– What exercise did you find pointless during your time with the "Lakers" under the legendary coach Phil Jackson?

– Initially, I thought his entire system – the triangle – was pointless. Then, when I began to understand it, I changed my opinion. The hardest exercise with Phil was the "death drill." At the end of practice, when all 15 players were physically exhausted, we would do the last exercise – free throw shooting. The success rate had to be at least 76 percent. Each player took one free throw.

Out of 15, only four could miss. If more, the entire team would line up at the baseline and run the court ten times. Then we started the shooting series again. We kept shooting until the percentage exceeded 76 percent. Sometimes this exercise took a long time. When Shaquille O'Neal and Horace Grant were on the team, it happened more often – their free throw shooting wasn't very good.

– What books did Phil Jackson give you?

– Various ones. They reflected his philosophy. Every season, he would buy books for each "Lakers" player. He would sign them and give them away. He sensed what issues a player was facing and would buy a book aimed at helping resolve those issues. In other words, the book had a subtext. It was a kind of message, one of his psychological techniques. In my debut NBA season, Phil gave me a children's edition by American author Dr. Seuss. It had large print, simple statements, and straightforward sentence structures.

– Did Phil not initially think highly of your intellectual development?

– No, the content of the book was such that I could understand what was written and quickly learn English. The title of the book, by the way, was symbolic – "Oh, the Places You'll Go."

– It seems you and Jackson took quite some time to adjust to each other.

– Phil had his own coaching philosophy. It was called the Jackson Triangle. I struggled to accept it for a long time. My first coach, Oleksandr Kovalenko, essentially invented a similar triangle, just with his own vision. There were different interpretations. Therefore, in the early years of my career with the "Lakers," I tried to prove to Jackson that I could play from different angles of attack with a slightly different philosophy – the one promoted by Oleksandr Kovalenko. Over time, the angles blurred. I understood Phil's claims. He understood me.

After I had health issues, the "Lakers" offered a new contract – they wanted me to stay with the club structure as a coach. But by that time, I was already fed up with the "Lakers." I'll say more: I was fed up with America. Probably that's why I didn't even consider getting an American passport. Although, given that my ex-wife had American citizenship, it wouldn't have been difficult to do.

– Over your seven seasons in the NBA, did you delve into the nuances of basketball as a business?

– I found it interesting. Club owners have different approaches to their teams. Some people invest their soul into the club. Others take a purely pragmatic approach – these team owners just want to make money. Which isn't surprising, since the NBA is a commercial project. You can earn tens of millions of dollars from ticket sales, advertising, and merchandise sales. I think most NBA teams are profitable enterprises.

– When I was in Los Angeles, I noticed many girls referred to as "plastic" – meaning their beauty was enhanced by plastic surgeons. Artificial busts, lips. Were you surprised by this when you first arrived in the City of Angels?

I was warned right away that it would be like that. My acquaintances generally call Los Angeles the city of plastic people. It's a gathering of all sexual minorities. Half of the City of Angels consists of actors and directors, while the other half dreams of becoming one.

– After six years in Los Angeles, did you develop an interest in American football or baseball?

I preferred football – I think baseball lacks a bit of dynamism. I tried to attend all sporting events. I went to boxing – when Oscar De La Hoya stepped into the ring. It's a pity I never got to see the Klitschko brothers fight. When Vitali and Volodymyr boxed in Los Angeles, the "Lakers" were playing away games. Although the Klitschkos lived in the City of Angels for a long time and often attended "Lakers" games.

I remember once paparazzi photographed the four of us after a game – me, Vitali, Volodymyr, and Sylvester Stallone, who also frequently came to support the "Lakers" at home games. Moreover, Sylvester was not alone in this regard – Jack Nicholson often sat next to him. Both were very emotionally supportive of the "Lakers."

– You had a cameo role as a waiter in the film "Love as Love." What is the plot of this film?

– It's a comedy. Jewish and Italian families live in New York and dislike each other. Throughout the film, many funny situations and dialogues arise. The budget for the film was modest – about 3.5 million dollars. It took about five years from the initial idea to its realization. First, it was necessary to properly cast and sign the actors. Money for filming was also needed. There was a search for investors. In principle, I enjoyed acting. It was unusual. However, I only appeared in a cameo. The main supporting role was played by Carmen Electra, who transformed into a seductress. You can also identify Laine Kazan in the film. But cinema doesn't attract me anymore. It was just an experiment, nothing more.

– What character traits of Americans surprised you?

Their narrow-mindedness sometimes puzzled me. This is both their strength and weakness. We have many specialists with a broad profile. They know a little about each area. Americans, on the other hand, know their field thoroughly. But when you take an American out of their comfort zone during a conversation, they start to struggle. It's rare to meet a well-rounded individual there. But in